China Signals Willingness to Manage Differences With India Ahead of Xi Jinping’s India Visit
China has signalled that it is willing to work with India to manage existing differences and strengthen communication between the two countries, as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit.
Ahead of Xi’s visit, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said Beijing wants to approach its relationship with New Delhi from a long-term and strategic perspective. His remarks came just hours before Xi was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral discussion on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
According to the ambassador, China and India are working to arrange a meeting between the two leaders. The talks are expected to provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss the direction of their bilateral relationship, including areas where disagreements continue to exist.
The Chinese side has emphasised the importance of greater communication and cooperation while dealing with differences in a responsible manner. Xu said the two countries should work under the strategic guidance of their leaders and focus on maintaining stable relations over the long term.
The ambassador also highlighted the possibility of India and China functioning as good neighbours and partners, suggesting that cooperation could continue even while both countries address sensitive issues between them.
Xi’s visit is particularly significant because it marks his return to India after nearly seven years. His previous visit was in 2020, the same year that the military confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley sharply affected bilateral ties.
The relationship between the two countries went through a difficult period following the 2020 clashes. However, diplomatic engagement has gradually resumed, and Modi and Xi have met in recent years, including during meetings in Kazan and Tianjin.
Against this backdrop, the upcoming bilateral meeting in New Delhi is being closely watched. The two sides are expected to use the opportunity to maintain dialogue and explore ways to prevent differences from overshadowing broader areas of cooperation.
Xi travelled from Beijing to New Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, which India is hosting on September 12 and 13. He is expected to arrive in the capital at 12:25 pm, with senior Chinese officials accompanying him, including Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi is scheduled for 5:45 pm.
China’s latest statements indicate that Beijing wants to keep communication channels open with India while working towards a more stable relationship. At the same time, the emphasis on “properly handling differences” reflects the reality that important disagreements between the two neighbours have not disappeared.
For India and China, the challenge now is to find ways to manage these differences without allowing them to derail cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The Modi-Xi meeting could therefore become an important moment in shaping the next phase of relations between the two major Asian powers.
As both leaders sit down for talks, the focus will likely remain on dialogue, stability, cooperation and the careful management of disagreements. Whether these discussions can translate into greater trust and sustained progress will be closely watched in India, China and across the wider region.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
